


Wouldn't Change a Thing

by joz_stankovich (joz_rose)



Category: The Road Within (2014)
Genre: Agoraphobia, Angst, Developing Relationship, Drabble Collection, Eventual Smut, F/M, Female Reader, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, One Shot Collection, Post canon, Rating May Change, Reader Insert, Scopophobia, Tourette's Syndrome
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-14 14:28:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28547109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joz_rose/pseuds/joz_stankovich
Summary: When you arrive at the Desert Bridge behavioral center to help treat your worsening agoraphobia, you never expected to fall for Vincent, the sweet young man with Tourette's who gave you your tour on the first day and who makes you feel so much less alone.A collection of Vincent/Reader connected one shots and drabbles fromtumblr, exploring mental illness and falling in love.
Relationships: Vincent (The Road Within)/Reader, Vincent Rhodes/Reader
Comments: 1
Kudos: 13





	1. Wouldn't Change a Thing

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Vincent falls for y/n but is too embarrassed of his tics to ask her out + “You’re holding back” + “I wouldn’t change anything about you.” 
> 
> I’ve been hella nervous about writing for him bc I want to portray him and his disorder as accurately and as respectfully as possible, so I really hope I’ve done so. Also the reader character I’ll be using for my Vincent series is one that comes from a place close to me and my own experiences (though not quite to the same level) and it’s really cathartic for me to write, so I hope you guys’ll be able to enjoy it as well.

_Thank goodness they hadn’t given you a roommate_ , was the first thought that ran through your head as Dr. Rose showed you to your new room. _Though, how long would_ that _last?_ you wondered. 

Setting your bag down on the bed you looked around as the door closed behind her, reminding you of your therapy session the next afternoon before she left. The room was a decent size, two twin beds with a dividing wall between them, two desks on the opposite wall, two wardrobes near the entrance, and an attached bathroom with two sinks. The walls were a neutral cream colour, with minimal decoration, two nondescript framed photos hanging above each bed, but you supposed you could fix that eventually.

It wasn’t home, but it would do. At least you were away from people. Now you could relax, settle in.

Until the sudden knock at the door made you jump and you hesitantly shuffled closer to peer out the peephole. Outside stood a tall, thin young man under a mop of brown curls, rocking on his heels as he waited, and a flash of anxiety passed through you, tightening your chest.

 _Kinda cute though_ , you thought briefly before you pushed _those_ thoughts away, wondering what he was doing outside your door.

“Uhm, hello?” he called, giving another hesitant knock. “I know you’re in there -- _CUNT_!” 

At his exclamation you reeled back sharply, your anxiety spiking. _What the hell?_

“Ahh, fuck, I-I’m sorry, please don’t -- _FUCK, FUCKING CUNT. Oi!_ ” 

Frowning, you looked back through the peephole to watch him grimace before breathing a heavy sigh and bringing his hand up to run down his face in exasperation, turning away from the door.

“Please don’t be… alarmed, I--”

Taking a deep breath, you unlocked the door and opened it just far enough that you could peer out at him. As soon as he heard the lock turn he lifted his face from his hand and turned to look at you sheepishly. Embarrassment suffusing his entire posture.

“Who are you and what do you want?” you asked warily, your gaze flicking over him.

“I’m Vincent,” your visitor replied quickly, holding out his hand as if to shake and then awkwardly retracting it when you merely glanced at it, making no move to open the door more. “Uhm, Dr. Rose asked me to show you around, give you the tour,” he explained, and for a moment his eyes met yours and you quickly looked down, but not before noticing how strikingly green they were. 

_Beautiful._

“I’m sorry,” Vincent said quickly, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. His embarrassment radiating off him in waves. 

“Uhm, what was… all _that_?” you asked hesitantly, gesturing vaguely at him, unsure how to put it into words, knowing you probably sounded rude.

“I have Tourette’s,” he explained, flashing you a resigned smile before twitching several times, his shoulders tensing.

“ _Oh_ ,” you replied, “I’m sorry, I--” you floundered, feeling like a bit of an ass.

“It’s okay,” Vincent said, taking a deep breath, clearly wanting to put the whole episode behind you. “So, uhm, you gunna open the door...?” he asked expectantly.

Your fingers tightened on the edge of the door as an internal battle waged. You wanted nothing more than to shut and lock the door and retreat back into your room, into safe solitude, but it was obvious that sort of behavior probably wouldn’t go over well here -- you were supposed to be working on your anxiety, not giving into it, and it was clear that Dr. Rose had sent Vincent to you as some sort of test, to get you out of your room.

“Are you okay?” Vincent asked, clearly noticing your struggle as you hung back, and you grimaced. “If it’s because of what I said--”

“No!” you exclaimed quickly, mortified, not wanting him to think for a moment that you didn’t want to come out because of _him_. “No, I promise it’s not you. I--” you swallowed, cutting yourself off. 

_How could you tell him you were too chicken to leave your own room? What would he think of you?_ But the very thought of walking through the facility, of encountering all those new people, of having them stare at you, made you want to puke, your stomach churning as your anxiety gripped you tighter. It was nearly unbearable.

Though it nearly took everything you had in you, you bit the inside of your cheek and opened the door fully, setting your shoulders. Making sure you had your room key in your hoodie pocket, keeping a death grip on it, you stepped outside, closing the door behind you.

“You sure you’re okay?” Vincent asked, eyeing you worriedly, but you quickly nodded, shoving your hands in your pockets as you followed him. “I uhm, I just realized I never got your name…” he said, trailing off, clearly waiting for you to provide it.

“It’s [y/n],” you answered, glancing quickly over at him, catching his eyes for a second, the hesitant smile he wore bolstering you slightly.

 _At least he’s cute_ , you thought, clutching at anything that might take your mind off your anxiety, forcing yourself to breathe, your gaze flicking once more over to him. _If you had to take this stupid tour, at least the company was nice._

——

As Vincent showed you around, you kept your eyes down most of the time, especially when you came to a room with a group of people in it, not wanting to see their eyes on you. _Feeling_ them stare was bad enough.

You passed the public computer lab, a games room, a lounge with a large television in it, an area for exercise, and lastly the cafeteria, which you had a feeling Dr. Rose would no doubt insist you come to have your meals as part of your therapy. You noticed Vincent watching you before looking around the room with a small frown.

“Ah, there’s one more place I need to show you!” he exclaimed, gesturing toward the door and you followed him, eager to be away from the cafeteria.

Back outside he led you around the building to a lone picnic table under the shade of a sprawling oak tree. Climbing up to sit on the table, Vincent patted the spot next to him and you reluctantly sat down.

“So, why’d you bring me _here_?” you asked, looking around, feeling the tension that had gripped you since leaving your room begin to lessen slightly. The spot was rather secluded, peaceful, just the two of you for the moment and the breeze rustled the leaves overhead, the sound pleasant.

Vincent shrugged, glancing over at you as he leaned back. “I couldn’t help but notice how nervous you seemed, and thought you might like it better out here.”

You couldn’t help but smile a little to yourself. “It is rather peaceful here,” you replied softly. “Thank you.”

Vincent smiled, and for a moment you thought he was going to say something when suddenly his jaw clenched and his brows drew down as if he were fighting a sneeze.

“ _Fucking coward_!” Vincent exclaimed abruptly as several involuntary muscle spasms seemed to grip him, followed by a series of grunts and expletives, ending with him smacking his hand over his mouth in a loud pop. 

Almost as soon as the tics passed he winced, drawing in on himself before glancing reluctantly over at you. “I’m so sorry,” he muttered sheepishly. “You know I don’t mean anything I say during that, right?”

You took a deep breath. It was going to take some getting used to, being around him, his words initially stinging, but the amount of embarrassment on his face told you he was being truthful. _It wasn’t like he could help it_ , you thought, eyeing him thoughtfully, and the last thing you wanted was for him to feel bad about that.

“...I know,” you murmured, gently laying your hand over the back of his arm awkwardly, hoping the gesture might soothe him.

Vincent gaped down at your hand on his arm, tensing momentarily before his gaze found yours and he seemed to relax slightly, flashing you a hesitant smile. Clearing your throat, you figured since he’d been so open with you, it was your turn.

Slipping your hand into your lap to clutch your other hand, you looked down at them as you spoke. “I, uhm… you asked me why I’m here,” you said, stumbling over the words til you stopped to take a calming breath, already feeling your anxiety creeping back in like tendrils, wrapping around you, tensing your muscles.

“I’m agoraphobic, and to a lesser degree scopophobic,” you explained, feeling his eyes on you.

“I wondered,” Vincent murmured, shifting next to you, his arm brushing yours. “I could see how uncomfortable you were while I was showing you around,” he mused, pausing to twitch a few times. “What’s scopophobia?” he asked after a moment, and you made yourself glance over at him.

“Fear of being stared at,” you answered, smiling wanly and Vincent nodded, his springy curls bouncing slightly and you wondered what they felt like, if they were as soft as they looked.

“So, uhm, what kind of behavioral exercises do you have to do?” he asked, pulling you out of your thoughts.

“Dunno exactly yet, I’m sure I’ll find out at my session tomorrow,” you murmured, fidgeting with the hems of your sleeves. “I’m sure it’ll involve getting me out of my room like _this_. Facing my fears.”

Again, Vincent nodded.

Noticing a couple of other patients rounding the building, you tensed, and Vincent glanced over at them before sliding off the table and holding his hand out for you to take.

“C’mon, I’ll take you back,” he offered, watching you expectantly and you took his hand, letting him help you down.

“How long have you had Tourette’s?” you asked as you walked, wanting to fill the silence and hoping you weren’t overstepping, but Vincent didn’t seem to mind, shrugging slightly.

“Since right before middle school,” he answered, glancing over at you.

“Has it gotten… easier, since coming here?” you wondered, hoping if this place could help him, it might help you too.

Vincent seemed to catch on to what you were thinking. “Actually… yeah,” he replied, “I was kinda doubtful when I first got here, but I’ve been going longer without ticcing than I ever have before. And I think it's partially from the habit reversal training I’ve been doing, and partially because I’m not as stressed as I was, but…” he trailed off, watching you, a thoughtful expression on his face. “I bet Dr. Rose will be able to help you too.”

“Thank you,” you murmured as you stopped in front of your door and you made yourself meet his gaze, again being struck by how beautiful his eyes were, a slight flush rising to your face. “And thank you for the tour,” you managed, the butterflies in your stomach swarming harder as Vincent chuckled softly.

“Oh, c’mon, you hated it,” he teased as you tilted your head, a small grin playing at the corner of your lips. 

“I didn’t hate _all_ of it,” you admitted, giving him a meaningful look that made his grin widen and light blush stain his cheeks.

“I’m glad,” he replied, hesitating, clearly not wanting to leave just yet, as if he had something more to say. “Can I come visit you again some time?” he asked abruptly, “o-or if you want someone to accompany you on your _behavioral_ _exercises_ …” he offered, trailing off and you found yourself smiling in earnest.

“Yeah, I… I think I’d like that,” you admitted, finding you meant it and your answer seemed to put Vincent at ease too, his whole posture relaxing.

“Cool,” he said, grinning as he took a couple backward steps. “I’ll see you tomorrow for lunch, then?”

“Yeah, okay. I’ll see you, Vincent,” you said softly, turning to unlock your door and quickly slipping back into your room.

Usually returning to safe solitude made you feel better, but as you went to your bed to sit down you found yourself wishing you hadn’t let Vincent leave so quickly and you wondered what _that_ meant. Despite the fright he’d given you at first, you found he was pretty easy to talk to and you’d even managed to make eye contact with him several times, which was kind of a big deal for you. Finding yourself looking forward to seeing him again tomorrow, even if that meant returning to the cafeteria you flopped back on your bed, testing it out before letting your eyes slip shut.

The next day at your first session with Dr. Rose, it was as you feared, she wanted you to combat your fears by spending more time outside your room, starting with eating your meals in the cafeteria, and instantly anxiety at the thought gripped you, your breath freezing in your chest.

“You can handle this, [y/n],” Dr. Rose assured you at the panicked look on your face.

“I don’t think I can,” you replied, shaking your head frantically.

Dr. Rose studied you for a moment before switching tactics. “You went on a tour with the facility with Vincent yesterday, right?”

You nodded.

“And how did that go?”

 _That’s right, Vincent!_ You’d nearly forgotten that he’d offered to eat with you and _that_ thought carried you through the morning. Each time the idea of being in the busy cafeteria, with all those people around, made you freeze up and your breath catch, you forced yourself to remember you’d have at least one familiar face there, and it helped, somewhat.

“Hey,” Vincent greeted as he found you waiting by the door for him, your fingers twisting together anxiously.

“Hey,” you murmured.

“You ready?” he asked, and you took a deep breath before nodding, falling into step behind him, using his height as a shield as you walked through the double doors into the room. 

Keeping your eyes on your feet as you followed Vincent up to get your tray, you let out an audible breath as he led you back to a deserted table in the far corner, away from the busier tables.

“There, not so bad, huh?” Vincent exclaimed, directing a reassuring smile at you as he dropped his tray to the table and sat.

“Speak for yourself,” you muttered, pulling out the chair next to him and sitting, your back to the rest of the room. _If you didn’t see the other people, you could pretend they weren’t there._

As you began to eat, Vincent looked thoughtful. “What are you so afraid of?” he asked, a sincerity in his voice that told you he was genuinely curious and not mocking you.

“I dunno,” you murmured, pushing your food around your plate, “I guess, that I’ll do something… wrong and everyone’ll see and… judge me,” you explained, trying to put your fears into words.

Before Vincent could answer a scandalized gasp cut through your conversation and you looked up to see a dark skinned young man with close cropped black hair and his dress shirt buttoned right up to his neck standing at Vincent’s elbow and glaring right at you.

“Who is she and why is she at our table?” he demanded, his British accent spiked with panic. 

“I’m sorry, I can leave!” you exclaimed quickly, grabbing your tray to flee when Vincent touched your arm.

“No, you’re okay,” he replied hastily, throwing a glare at the intruder before turning back to you. “Don’t mind him, he’s always like this,” he explained, a hint of exasperation in his voice. “[y/n], this is Alex, my roommate,” he introduced, turning back to Alex. “Alex, this is [y/n], she’s new here. Dr. Rose asked me to help her feel welcome.”

“Oh, _sure_ she did,” Alex exclaimed sarcastically, watching you warily. “So, why are _you_ here?” he demanded, whipping a sanitary wipe out to wipe down the table before he placed his tray down and sat. You noticed he was wearing a pair of disposable latex gloves.

“Agoraphobia,” you answered, poking at your food. “You?” 

Alex regarded you a moment before answering sullenly. “OCD.”

“Look at that, an anxiety disorder,” you pointed out, “we’re not so different, you and I.”

Vincent looked between the two of you, a small grin growing on his face before he snorted a soft laugh. “She’s got you there,” he murmured, glancing up at his friend. 

Alex scowled. “I suppose you can sit with us,” he relented reluctantly, “if you stay on that side of the table.”

“Not a problem,” you murmured, sharing a small grin with Vincent before finally taking a bite of your lunch.

——

In the following days, you’d developed a routine, and part of that routine was meeting Vincent and Alex for lunch at the same table, in the same chair, each day getting to know them both a little better than before. While Alex had been rather hostile at first, he began to mellow, well, as much as he _could_ and you found yourself drawn to Vincent a little more each day.

He was easy to talk to and he managed to make you laugh more than you had in a long while, his bright easygoing smile instantly helping you forget you were surrounded by a roomful of people, your eyes only seeing him.

Dr. Rose seemed pleased with your progress, suggesting next for you to venture out of your room even more, to take a walk around the facility at least once a day and you decided you’d ask Vincent to come with you to keep you company. Plus, he seemed to make you feel… safe, so the thought that he’d be there if you got too overwhelmed was a nice one, it made you feel like you could do this.

When you showed up at his room asking him to accompany you on your stroll Vincent was only too happy to join you, flashing his roommate an excited look before following you out the door and falling into step with you.

As you walked, you found yourself opening up more than you had yet, talking about yourself and things you liked, _wanting_ him to know more about you, while wanting to know as much as you could about him as well.

The moon was rising as you made your slow circle around the facility, the night air turning chill, and Vincent noticed you shiver. Shrugging off his jacket, he stopped to sling it over your shoulders without a second thought and you faltered. 

At your questioning look, he grinned. “You looked cold,” he murmured, shrugging, his hand brushing yours as you gripped the edges to pull the jacket tighter around you. His hand was warm and you found yourself wanting to hold it, but resisting.

“Thank you,” you murmured, smiling to yourself as Vincent began to walk. “You know, I’m really glad that it was you who gave me that tour on my first day,” you said suddenly, taking him off guard, his emerald eyes swinging to you.

“Oh? Why’s that?” he asked, watching you with interest, and you found you didn’t mind. You _wanted_ him to look at you. 

Luckily the path you’d taken around the grounds had been secluded and as you rounded the last corner toward your dorm, there was only you and Vincent.

“Because, you’re the best friend I could’ve asked for here,” you admitted, bumping against his side as you walked. “I like hanging out with you, V.”

“I like hanging out with you too, [y/n],” he replied as you came to stop outside your door, not wanting the night to end.

“Hey, [y/n],” he said, pulling your attention and for a moment his mouth hung open, as if he wanted to say something more before glancing down and shaking his head slightly. “Ah, nevermind,” he muttered suddenly, shoving his hands in his pockets and you frowned.

“What is it?”

“It… it’s nothing, forget I said anything,” Vincent insisted, his shoulders tensing. 

“You’re holding back, V,” you pointed out, biting your lip, feeling his apprehension. “What’s wrong?”

Vincent groaned, his head suddenly jerking to the side as his palm pushed against his chin, his elbow bent at an uncomfortable angle. “ _Mind your fucking business -- FUCKING WHORE oi_!”

Breathing heavily, Vincent took a step back, his face contorted in embarassment. “I’m sorry,” he muttered, his voice cracking, “I gotta… I gotta go, goodnight [y/n],” he called before turning and practically running away, leaving you confused and alone in front of your door.

You thought briefly about chasing after him, knowing something was wrong, but you felt suddenly paralyzed. Defeated, you resigned yourself to returning to your room, worry festering in your stomach as you kept replaying the last few moments over in your head and trying to make sense of it.

——

Knocking on Vincent’s door, you shifted your weight nervously back and forth as you waited for him to answer the next morning. You’d barely been able to sleep, worried about him and combing over every possible reason as to why he’d ran away the night before, if it was something _you_ did. When the door opened however, it was Alex that stood there, looking rather unsurprised to see you.

“[y/n],” he greeted formally, “to what do we owe this pleasure?”

“Uhm, hey Alex, is… is Vincent in there?” you asked, leaning slightly to try to peer around him into the room.

“Yes, he happens to be here,” Alex answered in that rather rigid way he had of talking, glancing over his shoulder and gesturing toward the door, as if having a silent conversation with Vincent.

“Can you ask him to come out… here, for a second? I wanna talk to him.”

“Of course,” Alex replied, nodding before stepping away from the door. You heard a hushed ‘Go! Go on, talk to her!’ and moments later Vincent sheepishly appeared in the doorway, shuffling his feet.

“Hey, [y/n],” he mumbled, not quite meeting your eye.

“Can I talk to you, V?” you asked, gesturing outside. 

“Uhm, sure.” Vincent hesitated, glancing back at Alex who made a shooing motion before he grimaced and stepped outside, shutting the door behind him.

“About last night,” you began, watching Vincent nervously. “Did I do something wrong?” you asked, and his head snapped up, his eyes going wide.

“No!” he exclaimed quickly. “No, not at all -- _COCKSUCKING SLUT_ \-- fuck,” he groaned, burying his face in his hands.

Not acknowledging his outburst you gently moved his hands from his face to peer up at him. “Then what were you going to say before you practically ran away?” you asked, biting your lip.

“I,” he began, grimacing as another cluster of tics overtook him, breathing heavily through his nose once they’d passed. “I, fuck,” he muttered under his breath, “I was gunna ask you out, but…”

His words kicked up the swarm of butterflies in your stomach, affirming what you’d thought he was building up to before he’d bolted. “But what?” you prompted gently and those beautiful emerald eyes met yours and he sighed.

“But, _this_ ,” he exclaimed, gesturing to himself. “I got embarrassed, okay? I started to worry that you wouldn’t want to be seen with me, since you already have a hard enough time with your anxiety around leaving your room. What if we went out and my tics cause a scene, calling attention to us. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable,” he explained, the pain in his voice and the shame in his eyes breaking your heart. “If I was just _normal_ \--”

“ _Vincent_ ,” you murmured firmly, shoving down the sudden flare of panic that he was going to try to push you away, as you reached for his hand, threading your fingers with his. “Do you wanna know the only thing that’s made being here actually tolerable?” you asked, your voice still a whisper and his eyes met yours, peering out from under his long curls.

“...What?” he asked hesitantly.

“You,” you answered simply. “I feel comfortable around you, and it’s been a long time since I felt that way around anyone other than my dad,” you admitted, squeezing his hand. “I… like you, Vincent. Like, _like_ -like you. You’re funny, and smart, and kind, and exciting, and I wouldn’t change anything about you.” 

Before you could talk yourself out of it, instead chasing the impulsive desire that gripped you, you rose up on your toes and pressed your lips to the corner of his mouth as your eyes fluttered shut. You could hear Vincent’s breath catch as he froze.

“I like you just the way you are, not _in spite_ of it,” you murmured as you pulled back and the dazed smile that danced across his lips banished the fear that had clutched you momentarily.

“You do?” he asked, slightly stunned.

“Mhmm,” you answered, a pleased grin playing at the corners of your lips as you watched him.

“Well then, in that case, would you like to go out with me?” he asked, flinching slightly before revising his words. “Er, well, you know what I mean.”

“I would,” you answered, your grin growing. “We can figure that part out later.”

“Good,” he murmured, pulling you into his arms for a hug and you squeezed him back, burying your face in his t-shirt.

“Oh, good, you two worked all this silliness out,” Alex exclaimed, opening the door to find you and Vincent standing outside, embracing, and you pulled back just far enough to look over at him, finding a rather ‘I-told-you-so’ smirk on his face. Vincent rolled his eyes before grinning down at you.

“We did.”


	2. Nothing Wrong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: y/n tells someone off for making fun of his tics + having a bad tic day and y/n comforts him

The cafeteria was more crowded than usual today and you hesitated as you caught sight of all the people, nearly turning on your heel and fleeing back to your room before you felt Vincent’s arm wrap around you.

“Woah!” he exclaimed, holding you in place next to his side.

“V, c’mon please, there’s no way too many people in there,” you whispered, your feet rooted in place, though Vincent’s arm around you was nice and you shrunk back, pressing closer to his side.

“I know,” he murmured softly, glancing down at you. “But you can do this, [y/n],” he insisted, giving you a squeeze. “You’ll have me and Alex with you too. You won’t be alone,” he assured you, but a thought hit you and you quickly peered around the lunch room.

“What if our usual table’s full by the time we get there?”

“Then we’ll find somewhere else to sit,” he answered, taking a step, pulling you with him.

“But what if there’s no more empty tables and we have to share with someone else?” you countered, your chest constricting with dread and your appetite all but disappearing at the thought.

“Then we’ll… meet someone new,” he offered, his voice more positive than he probably felt, but you had to admit you appreciated it despite the way you groaned and dragged your feet. “If it helps, you can always keep your eyes on me,” he whispered in your ear as you got into line and you picked up your plastic tray.

Glancing up at him, you were met with a cheeky grin that made your heart give an excited flutter. “It’s hard to take my eyes off you enough as it is,” you murmured back teasingly, enjoying the blush that spread across Vincent’s face.

By the time you’d grabbed your plate of food you found Alex saving you and Vincent a seat at your usual table, the other chairs blessedly empty and you breathed a sigh of relief, sitting with your back to the rest of the room.

“There, see. Nothin’ to worry about, right?” Vincent said, leaning in to murmur in your ear as he sat next to you.

“Yeah, yeah,” you grumbled, though the fond grin you wore as you ducked your head gave you away.

It was about halfway through your meal when you noticed Vincent grimace and clamp his jaw shut, a look of intense concentration on his face.

“V…? You okay?” you asked, half reaching across the table to touch his arm when he suddenly jerked away, gripped by a particularly strong cluster of tics that lasted longer than usual, his tray of food clattering from the table.

The room went eerily quiet and you froze, feeling eyes on your back, everyone turning to stare at you and Vincent. Too petrified to turn around, your breath stuck in your throat, all you could see was the embarrassed look on Vincent’s face as he stared at the table, anger in his eyes before he pushed his chair back and strode from the room, kicking his tray out of his way as he went.

Stunned, you glanced up to share a wide eyed look with Alex who looked just as lost as you were, torn between going after Vincent and staying put.

Closing your eyes all you could see was the pained look on his face before he’d stormed out. When you heard the whispers begin to break out behind you, something in you snapped, and despite the paralyzing anxiety that gripped you like a vice, you stood, scraping your chair back before reluctantly turning to face the crowded room still gaping after Vincent.

“What’re you all looking at?” you demanded at the sea of eyes, though your voice wavered dangerously and you pulse pounded in your ears so loud you could barely hear yourself over it. “The fuck is the matter with you? Haven’t you ever seen someone with Tourette’s before?” you exclaimed before taking off after Vincent, pushing through the double doors as if the devil himself were on your heels.

As soon as you stumbled outside you pressed your back to the side of the building to catch your breath while your ears buzzed and your heart tried to pound its way through your rib cage. A wave of nausea overtook you and you fought to stay upright despite the way your legs shook.

It took you several minutes to calm down, breathing deeply through the anxiety attack, but all you could think of was Vincent and where he’d gone, if he was okay.

Straightening, you took a deep breath and took off around the building, deciding to first check the picnic bench he’d taken you to on your first day. If he wasn’t _there_ , your next guess was his room, but something pulled you to the small wooded corner of the grounds.

Sure enough, you found Vincent sitting under the boughs of the large oak, his back pressed to its wide trunk and his knees drawn up to his chest. When he heard you approach, he lifted his curly head. “[y/n],” he asked, clearly surprised to see you. 

“Can I sit?” you asked, your heart still racing slightly, afraid he’d tell you to leave.

“Yeah, sure,” Vincent mumbled, scooting over so you could sit next to him, your shoulder touching his.

“You okay?” you asked hesitantly, trying to get a better look at his face as his curls hung in his downturned eyes.

“I’m just… frustrated -- _CUNT_!” He sighed, averting his face. “I haven’t caused a scene _that_ bad in a while,” he explained, his shoulders tensing. “And the look on your face…” he trailed off, covering his face in his hands. “You were already having a hard enough time being in there as it was, and I made it worse.”

“Hey, _no_. Oh, Vincent, please _please_ don’t blame yourself,” you exclaimed, turning toward him fully, but he shook his head, unable to make himself look at you.

“I could feel it building and I just kept trying to hold it in and it only made it worse,” he groaned. 

Reaching over to gently turn his face toward you, you tilted your head, catching his eye. “I’m okay, V,” you insisted, and for a moment it looked like Vincent was gunna argue with you, but you pressed on, not giving him the chance.

“Just look at it like… it gave me a chance to face my fear -- a behavioral exercise, right?” you said, though the look Vincent gave you looked doubtful. 

“Look,” you sighed, taking his hand and threading your fingers with his. “Before I came here I didn’t ever leave my house, much less my room some days. And my dad, though he loved me very much, he didn’t know how to help me and so he enabled my behavior. He did _everything_ for me so I never had to be uncomfortable, but ultimately all that did was hurt me in the long run,” you explained, fighting past the lump in your throat that appeared every time you thought of him. “His funeral was the first time I’d left the house in nearly two years.” 

At your words, Vincent’s head jerked up, his eyes wide and an apologetic look on his face. Smiling sadly, you shook your head. “ _Yes_ , its uncomfortable, and yes, some days all I wanna do is hide, but if being here, if pushing myself out of my comfort zone is gunna help me, then I wanna do it,” you said, determination creeping into your voice, but when you turned back to Vincent, your expression softened.

“I told you before, Vincent, I’m _never_ embarrassed to be seen with you. I _like_ spending time with you, and you’ve done more to help me work through my problems than anyone in a long time,” you insisted, holding eye contact, though your heart rate spiked.

“Your tics don’t bother me, V, and fuck all those people for staring,” you exclaimed heatedly, bringing a small grin to his face. “I’m sorry you’ve had such a rough morning, but I’m not going anywhere. I’m here for you,” you insisted, leaning in to press a hesitant kiss to the corner of his mouth. 

For a moment Vincent’s eyes widened, flicking from your eyes to your lips and back before wetting his own lips and leaning in, somewhat jerkily, pressing his lips to yours for a proper kiss.

When he pulled back, his eyes fluttering open, you realized how hot your cheeks had grown and your eyes dropped, though you couldn’t banish the giddy grin twisting your lips and Vincent cleared his throat, smiling as well as he rested the side of his head against yours.

“Thank [y/n], that means a lot,” he murmured, sighing contentedly.

“Anytime,” you replied, sighing as well, your mind unable to quite get past that kiss and you wondered if he was thinking about it too, still.

After several minutes your stomach growled, breaking the silence and Vincent chuckled. “I’m hungry too,” he admitted, straightening. “What d’you say we try lunch over?” 

“Yeah, sounds good to me,” you agreed, letting Vincent pull you to your feet.

——

“Vincent, you should’ve seen it!” Alex exclaimed as Vincent collapsed atop his bed after finally returning to his room, having spent the rest of the afternoon with [y/n].

“Seen what?” he asked, letting his eyes close, his thoughts drifting back to the kiss he’d initiated earlier, remembering as many little details as possible -- how soft her lips had been, or the flavour of the chapstick she’d been wearing, to the way her breath had caught and her body seemed to melt against his side.

“[y/n], _duh_!” Alex answered, pulling him from his reverie and he frowned, his eyes opening to fix on his roommate as he half pushed himself up. 

“What’re you talking about?”

“After you left the cafeteria earlier. She practically confronted the whole bloody room just to tell them off for staring,” he explained with an incredulous chuckle. “I would’ve never believed it if I hadn’t seen it myself. I mean, she was shaking like a leaf the whole time, but it was brilliant. She must _really_ like you, you lucky bastard,” he pointed out, his thick dark brows raising pointedly. “...For some reason,” he added under his breath, but Vincent didn’t hear him, his mood instantly buoyed by this piece of information.

 _If she was willing to face the thing she was most afraid of for_ him _…_

Grinning like an idiot, Vincent flopped back down on his bed, planning out just how he was gunna make it up to her.


	3. Savour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Starting with nuzzling noses before moving on to soft kisses

“Oh, I love that movie!” you exclaimed, bringing the bowl of popcorn back with you to the pile of pillows on the floor at the end of your bed where Vincent sat, getting the movie set up on your laptop, which he’d set atop your desk chair so the screen was eye level.

“I had a feeling you might,” he replied with a pleased grin, taking the bowl from you so you could sit next to him, leaning forward to press play as you settled in.

“My dad and I used to watch it together all the time,” you said, crossing your legs under you.

“Yeah?” Vincent asked distractedly, glancing down to where your legs were touching his before his eyes flicked up to your face, finding you watching him. “Uhm, my mom and I used to watch it together too,” he continued, shaking himself back to the moment, though his gaze still lingered on your lips.

“Yeah?” you mused in returned, leaning into his side, smiling to yourself when he took the hint and awkwardly wrapped his arm around your shoulders. “Tell me about her,” you prompted, resting your head against his shoulder as you reached into the bowl of popcorn in his lap.

Vincent stiffened for a moment before you felt him relax against you, letting out a long breath.

“She was… always so full of love,” he mused, a bittersweet smile crossing his face as he thought of her – “always with a kind word or a joke for everyone, and when she laughed, it’d fill up the whole room. She never made me feel like I was a burden,” he murmured, glancing over at you. “…A lot like you.”

“She sounds like she was lovely,” you said, tilting your face up. “She was lucky to have you for a son,” you continued softly, slipping your hand in Vincent’s, feeling his curls brush against your cheek as he leaned into you, squeezing your hand.

“What about you? What was your dad like?” he asked, and you took a deep breath as you thought how to answer.

“To everyone else he seemed like this hard-ass, like he hardly ever smiled, but I could always get him to laugh, and he was surprisingly laid back for how intimidating everyone seemed to think he was. He’d always go out of his way to do anything for me, even if it seemed stupid.”

“He sounds like he was a great guy,” Vincent murmured and you smiled sadly, feeling tears prick your eyes.

Not trusting your voice not to waver with emotion, you merely nodded and gave his hand a squeeze. Soon however, the movie had you both laughing again and quoting lines back to each other, Vincent having yet to tic.

It wasn’t until the credits began to roll that you turned to him, realizing just how close you’d gotten over the course of the movie and you grin faltered, your heart skipping a beat.

“This was fun, we should do it again,” you murmured, trying to mask your sudden spike in heart rate as Vincent turned to look at you, his lips parting slightly.

“Yeah, yeah for sure,” he agreed, his words soft as his eyes roamed your face, so close to his.

Before you knew what you were doing you tilted your chin up, nuzzling the tip of your nose against his as your eyes fluttered shut, Vincent tensing momentarily before hesitantly slipping his hand up to cup your cheek as he nuzzled you back, leaning in even closer to press his lips to yours. His shoulders jerked only slightly as you kissed him back, slow and chaste, letting out a soft sigh.

At first you thought he was about to pull away when he stopped to take a breath, but then he kissed you again, but it wasn’t rushed or insistent, more like he was testing the waters, wanting to savour you.

Grinning softly against his lips, you opened your mouth just enough to brush your tongue experimentally against the seam of his lips and Vincent inhaled sharply, opening his mouth to you.

Tilting your head for a better angle, you slowly explored his mouth, moaning softly as his tongue met yours, less hesitant now as he kissed you thoroughly.

Finally pulling away, your breaths coming heavier now, you smiled up at him, the lightness in your chest overwhelmingly heady and you were met with a brilliant smile in return.

“So… how was that?” he asked and you huffed a soft laugh, collapsing against his chest as he slipped his arms around you.

“I think we should definitely do that again.”


	4. Get Warm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: showering together + kissing shoulders

“Oh my God, that’s cold!” you exclaimed as you ran, Vincent’s hand clutched in yours. At this point there was really no use in running any longer, the sudden downpour had already completely soaked the pair of you. By the time you’d made it back to your room, you were both out of breath and laughing.

“[y/n], you’re shivering,” Vincent pointed out, as if he weren’t also trembling.

“S-so are you, V,” you exclaimed, rubbing your hands over his arms in an attempt at warming him as you stood dripping just inside the door.

“Maybe we should… uhm... “ Vincent hesitated, his face reddening slightly before he spasmed— “ _GET NAKED_!” —blurting out what must have been on his mind. “I can see your boobs! Titty hard out!” he ticced with a shrill whoop, quickly averting his face with an embarrassed grimace and you glanced down at your rather see through shirt hugging your wet body.

“You know, that’s not a bad idea,” you mused with a grin, unbothered by his exclamation. Peeling your sopping shirt over your head, you let it fall to the floor as Vincent’s eyes widened, his mouth falling open. “I was actually gunna suggest a warm shower.”

“ _Together_?” Vincent asked incredulously, carefully keeping his eyes on your face.

“If you want,” you said, taking a step closer. “I wouldn’t want either of us to catch cold while waiting for the other to shower, but I don’t wanna make you uncomfortable…” you trailed off.

“You’ve never made me uncomfortable,” Vincent exclaimed before slowly leaning in, hesitating, his lips inches from yours. “I just didn’t wanna make _you_ uncomfor—“

Closing the distance before he could get out his words, you pressed your lips to his with a sigh.

“You’ve never made me uncomfortable,” you assured him, repeating his own words back to him, pulling back only far enough to catch his eye as you slipped your hands under his wet shirt, lifting it slowly. Grinning, Vincent helped you shed it, leaving it on the floor next to yours before his mouth was on yours again, his hands holding the sides of your face.

Moaning into his mouth, you carefully led him backwards toward the bathroom without breaking the kiss, reaching blindly for the light switch.

“Here, let me,” Vincent murmured, finally pulling away to find the shower controls, letting the water run hot. When he turned back to you he found you shimmying your wet jeans down your hips and he gave a sart. “ _Oh_!” he exclaimed, swallowing thickly, his eyes darting down and back up hastily.

Straightening, you met him with a shy smile. “I don’t mind if you look,” you said, stepping closer to take his hand. “In fact…” trailing off you guided his hand to your chest, pressing yourself into his palm.

“Holy shit,” Vincent breathed as he gave you a hesitant squeeze, kneading your breast carefully, his thumb brushing over your pert nipple, bringing a soft gasp to your lips.

“You don’t have to be so gentle,” you pointed out and Vincent raised his other hand to cover your other breast, fondling you almost reverently, his breath catching.

“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured, lifting his face, his curls plastered wetly to his forehead.

“So are you,” you said, caressing his cheek before pressing a kiss to his parted lips which he eagerly returned. “I think the water’s warm enough now,” you murmured.

Vincent nodded, realizing that meant he had to lose his jeans. Swallowing, he took a deep breath before fumbling with his button and zipper. Not wanting to make him feel self conscious, you climbed into the stall while he finished undressing, a low sigh leaving your lips as the warm water hit you.

Soon Vincent joined you and you made room in the cramped space for both of you.

“This’ll warm you up in no time,” you murmured as Vincent ducked his head under the warm stream of water, letting out a sigh almost identical to yours.

“Pretty sure just being naked with you’s enough to effectively warm me up,” he joked and you couldn’t help but laugh.

“That’s all, huh?” you teased, fighting the urge to glance down, curious as to what he looked like _down there_.

“Maybe not, cause _you’re_ still shivering,” Vincent exclaimed with a small frown. “Can I…?” he asked, opening his arms to you, and you smiled. It was sweet how gentlemanly he was trying to be, even as you stood naked before him, even after you’d encouraged him to touch you earlier, and affection surged through you.

Stepping into his arms, you pressed your cheek to his slick chest as you slipped your arms around him as well, relaxing in his embrace, already beginning to feel warmer, and not only from his body heat or the steaming spray of the water.

“Sorry…” Vincent mumbled sheepishly as you felt his hardness against your hip and he made to pull away.

“Trust me, you don’t have to apologize for that,” you said, arousal filling you in turn, and you only hold onto him tighter. Lifting your face, you looked at him, catching his stunning emerald gaze. “May I?” you asked and after a moment, he nodded, his breath catching as your hand found his stiff length, stroking him softly as you watched his expression.

“Touch my fucking balls— _oi_! _COCK_!” he ticced suddenly, his cock twitching in your hand.

Opening his mouth in embarrassment, Vincent looked mortified, but you shook your head, cutting him off. Pressing your lips to his chest you slid your hand lower between his legs to caress his balls as he’d requested, grinning as you felt his body stiffen.

“[y/n], I—“ his words melted to a low moan as you squeezed him gently, trailing kisses along his collar bones, your lips dragging across his wet skin til you stopped at his shoulder.

“I think you should stay tonight,” you murmured, lifting your face once more, resting your chin against him as you continued to touch him.

“You sure?” he asked hesitantly. “I don’t wa—”

“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want you to,” you pointed out. “Besies, your clothes are still wet and I don’t wanna send you back to your room in the rain after getting warm again.”

“But—“

“ _Vincent_ ,” you said firmly, “please let me be a little selfish,” you insisted, your voice softening, taking his hand and slipping it between your legs. “I-I want you,” you admitted, your breath hitching as he touched you, feeling your slick arousal coat his fingers.

“ _Oh_ ,” he groaned before his mouth descended on yours, kissing you with a hunger that stole your breath. It was as if as soon as he _knew_ how much you truly wanted him, there was no more hesitation, and he wrapped his arms around you once more, pressing you to his body as he fumbled to turn off the water, helping you stumble out of the shower stall.

Breaking the kiss to fetch each of you a towel, you dried yourself off, pulling Vincent toward your tiny bed.

“Here, get under the blanket,” he exclaimed, letting you crawl in before joining you, and you pulled him atop you. “Are you sure you want this? Because we can just—“ his words melted as you squirmed under him, slipping your hand behind his neck to pull him in for a kiss.

“I’m _very_ sure,” you whispered, holding his gaze. “I meant it when I said I wanted you.”

“I want you too, [y/n],” Vincent murmured, the sincerity in his words bringing a smile to your lips.

“Yeah? Then what are you waiting for?” you asked, sighing as you felt him bump against your entrance.

The rest of the night you had no trouble staying warm.


End file.
